Leo Messi’s career peaked last December when he led Argentina to the World Cup gold. PDO
The Théâtre du Châtelet is located just a stone’s throw from the famous Notre Dame Cathedral.
The pride of Paris suffered enormous damage in a fire that happened four years ago, but the French state is committed to restoring it to its former state “whatever it costs”.
Centuries old the renovation of the temple gives a good perspective to this year’s Ballon d’Or gala.
The builders specializing in Gothic roof technology had already finished their work on Monday, when the cream of the football world started gathering in front of the theater.
Over the course of the evening, the France Football magazine had gradually revealed the voting results for the Golden Ball.
It wasn’t a big secret. It has been known for weeks that Leo Messi would win his eighth award. On the women’s side, Aitana Bonmatí would continue Spain’s dominance, with Jude Bellingham bagging the best young player trophy.
Notre Dame will be opened to the public again during next summer’s Olympics. Everything should be as before by 2027 at the latest.
The cathedral can be restored to its former glory.
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Notre Dame Cathedral was badly damaged in the fire of spring 2019. PDO
For Messi, the meaning of this award is the opposite. A career at the top is inevitably over, because even he can’t stop the flow of time.
The ten-year-old from Argentina will receive a 12-kilogram ball at his home in Miami, because he led the national team to the World Cup gold. The Ballon d´Or selection is much more justified this time than two years ago, when it should have been given to Robert Lewandowski.
Even now based on the success of the entire season, the ball would have belonged to Erling Haalandbut the young Norwegian will surely get his turn in the future.
Messi played in the World Cup in Qatar like in ecstasy. He scored in each of Argentina’s knockout rounds – and twice in the epic final against France.
In the club team, he was unable to help PSG in the Champions League and lift Inter Miami above the playoff line.
Still, no one has anything bad to say about the choice.
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Messi’s club Inter Miami did not make it to the playoffs of the MLS league. ZumaWire / MVPHOTOS
The soccer world wants to thank Messi once again for the last 15 years. This year’s Golden Ball is indeed a kind of lifetime achievement award.
It will be the Argentinian’s last.
The match calendar of top football is so tight that the Monday chosen by France Football magazine for the gala was certainly dictated more by necessity than the result of careful consideration.
In any case it coincided with Diego Maradona’s birthday. He would have turned 63.
Three years have passed since the death of “El Pelusa”.
Maradona never won the Ballon d’Or because the voting did not take into account non-European players during his playing years.
When Argentina last time – led by Maradona – won the World Cup gold in 1986, the voters got so confused that the ball was handed to the Ukrainian Ihor Bjelanov. World Cup tournament goal king Gary Lineker still feels that murder in his skin.
– Happy Birthday. This Ballon d’Or is also for you and all of Argentina, Messi said on the stage of the theater.
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Diego Maradona never won the Ballon d’Or. PDO
Of course, everyone understood that the Ballon d´Or 1986 did not describe the best player in the world. It was just a vote, and the most suitable option emerged as the winner.
Maybe something similar will happen this year. Messi is no longer the best soccer player in the world. The best years of the 36-year-old artist are helplessly behind him, and no watch no way turn around to go the other way.
But those memories: with the eighth Ballon d’Or, Messi leaves Cristiano Ronaldo (five) far behind. Michel Platini, Marco van Basten and Johan Cruyff (all three) still have a long way to go.
He is considered by most to be the greatest player of all time.
Messi thanked his teammates and loved ones for his award. For him, the Golden Ball is no longer a dream come true.
– I have been very lucky. I have been able to be in the best teams in history, and because of that I also win personal awards, he continued.
– We’ve had a lot of bad moments with the national team, but I never gave up. And I can be proud of that.
Next summer, he still has a chance to renew the Copa América title. After that, Messi’s time at the top of football starts to end for good.
Messi’s Argentina will defend the 2021 Copa América victory in next summer’s final tournament. PDO